Truth be told, only a handful of real-life situations make for great movie content. For example, criminal trials are inherently intense and climactic, which is why there are so many great movies involving courtroom drama.
Another frequently filmed featured aspect of the ordinary, everyday (and overwhelmingly American) experience is baseball. That’s because baseball is almost always guaranteed to have high-stakes twists and turns as well as fast-paced action sandwiched between anxiety-inducing lulls. Like with courtroom drama, it’s almost like baseball was meant to be portrayed on the big screen.
That got us thinking about the best baseball movies ever made. What makes the list remains a perennial topic du jour online, with countless articles dedicated to the subject. But we noticed no matter what, the same series of movies mentioned in every list tend to fall within the same window of time. According to most critics and casuals, the best baseball movies ever made were released between 1984 and 1994.
We decided to use that observation to create our own list. The following are seven baseball movies consistently considered the best ever made – thereby establishing what could be called the Golden Age of Baseball Movies:1984-1994:
The Natural (1984)
Based on Bernard Malamud’s novel of the same name published in 1952, The Natural stars Robert Redford as a naturally-gifted baseball player who, after a traumatic twist of fate in his youth, gets the chance to play in the big leagues as a middle-aged nobody. His character soon takes the baseball world by storm, helping his team go from dead last to first place, all the while incurring the wrath of the team’s owner. Directed by Barry Levinson, The Natural is perhaps the most beautifully shot of all the movies mentioned in this list. It’s also the one we’d credit for launching the Golden Age of Baseball Movies, as it’s the first to thread the needle between magical sentiment, eternal optimism, and unfortunate truths that became a staple of the genre.
Bull Durham (1988)
Let’s start by acknowledging the less-than-woke aspects of Bull Durham, principally the way screenwriter Ron Shelton chose to portray the two female leads as boy-crazy groupies more concerned with bedding baseball players than anything else. With that said, virtually every other aspect of Shelton’s script is a brilliant insight into the realities of professional baseball. On one end, you have Ebby Calvin “Nuke” Laloosh, a pitching prodigy portrayed by Tim Robbins. On the other, you have Lawrence “Crash” Davis, an aging catcher played by Kevin Costner. In the middle is Annie Savoy, a woman hellbent on inserting herself into the cosmic whirlwind of baseball, portrayed wonderfully by Susan Sarandon.
Major League (1989)
Ask any professional baseball player which baseball movie they quote the most, and chances are they’ll say it’s Major League. Despite the whimsical and sometimes downright silly way this movie portrays life in the majors, it encapsulates some of the most honest aspects of the big-league experience. In other words, MLB sportsbook betters would pay a premium to have the locker room insights you get watching Major League.
Field of Dreams (1989)
There’s something about Field of Dreams that speaks to the heart of most baseball fans. Maybe it’s the nostalgia factor. Or perhaps it’s the focus on the father-and-son dynamic, which seems to embody the concept of playing catch in the backyard. Whatever the reason, Field of Dreams is more or less the Citizen Kane of baseball movies. We can’t help but think anytime you put Kevin Costner in a film about baseball, good things are bound to happen.
A League of Their Own (1992)
Some of the best baseball players to ever play the game played in the 1930s and 40s. So what happened when the United States entered World War Two? Most professional ball players left the game to serve in the armed forces, creating a vacuum that was filled, in part, with the rapid implementation of an all-women baseball league. This period of American history is depicted in A League of Their Own, directed by Penny Marshall. Starring Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, and Madonna, this movie is a fascinating window into a mostly forgotten segment of the baseball timeline.
The Sandlot (1993)
The thing about baseball – and most other sports – is that they’re designed for children. The idea of adults getting paid to play a child’s game – made possible across all organized sports – is a bizarre phenomenon. So there’s comfort and solace in knowing that one of the best baseball movies ever centers around young children. The Sandlot captures the essence of baseball in the eyes (and hearts) of youngsters, giving adults a much-needed reminder of what makes baseball so fun and seemingly magical.
Baseball: A Ken Burns Documentary (1994)
Technically not a baseball movie, Ken Burn’s Baseball is nonetheless a critically-acclaimed documentary providing comprehensive coverage of the Great American Pastime. Ken Burns’s Baseball documentary doesn’t hold back any punches; the racist, sexist, and classist nature of organized baseball is put on full display. Most viewers will walk away with a less-than-admirable outlook on systems and traditions once considered sacrosanct.
Michael Driver is a freelance writer from Texas. When not writing to pay the bills, he loves covering topics related to history, movies, and sports. Michael can be reached at ReddishRaddish87@gmail.com
